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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25964824">The man from A.V.A.T.A.R</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawktasha/pseuds/hawktasha'>hawktasha</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Avatar &amp; Benders Setting, F/M, Film Retelling, Implied/Referenced Torture, Movie: The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E., Past Violence, Post-War, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:22:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,585</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25964824</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawktasha/pseuds/hawktasha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Out of nowhere, Katara's life gets pin in between two of the best trained spies of the four nations; his beloved brother and a man of the nation that brought nothing but pain in her life.<br/>What none of them know, is that Katara hides a secret of her own.</p><p>A 'The man from U.N.C.L.E.' retelling.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>This story is based in the plot from ‘The man from U.N.C.L.E.’ film, and it’s situated in the modern time of the ATLA universe. The main characteristics of the show will remain mostly intact (bending, different nations, traditions, etc).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Due to the plot itself, the 100 year war has not occured, but the Fire Nation did try to conquer the other nations through fear and war. As in the film the events occured after IIWW, this story may add some dark and trigger themes, even though I’m not sure if I will really explore them at this time. If I do decide to do so, I would advise with the proper warnings in the chapters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Due to the change in the main events of ATLA and the plot idea, Sozin was not who started the war, nor is his family royalty anymore. I’m not sure in which place really put him, nor if I would explore it further; but let’s settle as in history and go as he did in fact try to start a war against nations </span>
  <b>but</b>
  <span> was defeated (IWW). His fellow companions in the Fire Nation felt both ashamed and hurt by the following retaliation, and they were easy to convince to pursue their goal once more several years after. In this story is General Zhao who starts the war, and also gets defeated. He is the one that commands numerous atrocities against any that dares to defy him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even Sozin’s existence, nor Ozai, Azula (not sure if they would really be mentioned at all) or Zuko are royalties.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For any aclaration, just ask in the comment section; but have in mind the events of the aftermath of the IIWW (especially Berlin’s aftermath) </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ㅤ➠ Presenting the three main characters:</span>
</p><ul>
<li>
<span>Katara</span><span>: She is both a warrior and a healer. Currently living in one of the old colonies from the Fire Nation settled in the Earth Kingdom, she works at a little hospital as a healer. She is a trained fighter (both in her bending, and in body combat arts). She is originally from the Southern Water Tribe, but had participated in bringing the peace to the world trying to give a hand where she was needed, ending in a little neighborhood from Caldera City, capital of the Fire Nation. After the other nations shattered the city in equal parts, one for each nation, she found herself living recluded for a few decades in the part that reminded more of the Fire Nation tradition, which due to the events the war caused in her family, she despises. </span>
</li>
<li><span>Sokka: While there’s been years since the end of the war, he decided to join the military even when his family opposes. Trying to reach the military, he ends up joining a rebel group known as ‘Freedom Fighters’ and becomes a master in theft. Ultimately, he ends joining an elite group from spies that both Water Nations decided to gather for their own good. Even sometimes they don’t really get along with their ideals, the association stands still; though both missions keep secrets and missions from each other. He’s both a trained assassin and spy, and even if he’s a little impulsive sometimes, his intelligence gets him out of trouble easily.</span></li>
<li><span>Zuko: Born Fire Nation, he is a trained assassin and spy whose missions tend to linger around the Water Tribes matters, as they are eager to try to take back the little territory they still hold and crush the little prosperity they accomplish. He’s a calculating and cold person, but with a hot temperament and short fuse. </span></li>
</ul><p> </p><p>
  <span>Okay, so you mainly see the partition of Caldera City it’s not really accurate historically speaking; but it’s the only way it fits the plot. (Germans didn’t get a part of Berlin, but once again they were also five countries involved and here we have just four).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>ㅤ➠  </span>
  <b>Acclarations</b>
  <span>: As my own interest, each nation would have it’s own language (I can’t recall if it’s canon or not but deal with it) apart of the common they all understand. As this is not a film with option tu subtitle, when a character is talking in their language (or other language that’s not the common one) it would be written in </span>
  <b>bold letter</b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because of their association in war and postwar, Southern and Northern Water Tribes act like ‘family’. (Reason Chief Arnook is considered Katara&amp;Sokka’s Uncle in the story.) They’re not really family, but they are close and use mannerism. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hakoda has participated in the war, in fact he had been captured by Fire Nation soldiers and forced to build bombs and weapons for them. Arnook has also been captured, but has a different (and more twisted fate). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kya (Sokka &amp; Katara’s mom) is dead as a result of an air division bombing from the Fire Nation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko’s family may be twisted, but not in the extreme that is in the show.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>ㅤ➠ There will be appearances of other characters, just. . . their roles will remain secret for now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>* If you haven’t seen the film I encourage you to do it because it’s really great!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>——— As other times, thank you for reading me and have the patience to put with the twists of my mind! I don’t know if this story will get as I hope and think in my mind, but so far it’s been so </span>
</p><p>
  <span>fun thinking about the scenes and writing them done I really hope you like it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As a reminder, english it’s not my first language and, although I tend to double check for grammar and spelling mistakes, you can never be 100% sure. If you spot any hideous mistake, please let me know.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With nothing more to say, I hope you like the story as much as I’d do,, and please remember any feedback it’s always welcome and that I look forward to your reviews/comments! &lt;3</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As I said, when the characters speak in one of their nation's language it will appear in bold.<br/>In this chapter we have two conversations in different languages, for Sokka &amp; Katara is the language from the Water Tribes, and for Zuko the Fire Nation language.</p><p>Enjoy! And don't forget to comment or kudo if you like it! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The man wandered the streets of the city with a fast, yet calm, pace. A few fidgeting aside, no one could tell he was feeling completely uncomfortable. </p><p>Despite having been trained for this all his life, being in this particular mission, searching this particular <em> asset </em>. . . It made every nerve of his body flinch. </p><p>He didn’t take long in finding the marked building from his map. Exhaling a handful of breath he didn’t realize he was retaining, his hands reached for the handle while he lowered till his knees were pressed against the concrete. In silence, he pulled the lock picking set out of his pocket and started working on forcing the gate. It didn’t take long, and even if it was part of his daily routine job he couldn’t shake the feeling it was <em> too easy. </em>If he had known better he would have listened to his guts, but underneath his training he still had an eager temper to fight, which was playing against his reasoning in this task. </p><p>After he collected his tools back in place, he stood up, slowly opening the door and going into the rusted building. </p><p> </p><p>Once inside, he set back to his cold minded way of acting and tried to suppress the feeling that something was oddly wrong. </p><p>Everything was dark. He took a step front, his mind settled in finding the light switch, but he didn’t go far before he sensed something move behind him. Trying to turn back probably was his first mistake. </p><p>With a speed he had not expected in half of his marks, an elbow found his jaw, throwing him slightly off his feet. Before he could hit back, he felt an arm curl against his, pinning both behind his back; and then he felt the cold in his neck. </p><p>He couldn’t take a proper look, but he was sure it came from a knife, a weapon that at the moment was being held really tight against the main vein of his neck. </p><p> </p><p>“<b>Feisty. . . for a healer, sister.</b>”</p><p>“<b>You are late.</b>” the female said with a rough voice. </p><p>“<b>It’s 12:09</b>.” he spoke, managing to give a glance at the watch attached at his left wrist, even if for one second he feared the adverse would cut him just for teasing her. </p><p>“<b>We arrange the meeting to be at 12. Damnit, </b> <b> <em>Sokka</em> </b> <b>, I have better things to do that just wait up for your sorry ass to show up.</b>” Her words made the man show the faint of a smile, almost making him forget the real reason he was there.</p><p>She finally dropped her arm, stepping back from him. The man took a turn to face the woman in front of him. Even if they had seen each other not so long ago, he could tell all the differences in her face and body. She was slightly taller than he remembered, yet so much shorter than himself. Her blue eyes glowed even in the darkness and he could glimpse a frown in her temple.</p><p>Turning her back on him, she pressed a switch and the room was finally ablazed.</p><p>“<b>What was that important, anyway? You scare me to death, you say you’re at Caldera City out of the blue and that you need my help. . . And yet you dare to show up late!?</b>”</p><p>“<b>C’mon, Katara! It’s only been ten minutes!</b>”</p><p>“<b>I thought you were dead, Sokka!</b>”</p><p>He cannot content his laugh at her voice when she speaks the higher notes, just as she used to do when she got mad at him while they were kids. Even if it’s not the moment, he cannot shush those memories away, which makes his laughing stop, regaining the worry he had back at the entrance of the building. He wished there was another way.</p><p>“<b>I’m sorry.</b> <b>I really am.</b>”</p><p>“<b>What’s the urgency?</b> ” she said, her eyes piercing at his. “ <b>I’m sure you wouldn’t be here, in East Caldera City, Fire Nation territory nonetheless, under a fake visa if it wasn’t something important.</b>”</p><p>He remained silent a few seconds, the weight of the words that were about to be spoken making him a little dizzy. Reaching the small photograph he had carried around half the world in his back pocket, he slided it out of the cloth and handed it to the woman. </p><p>“<b>What is this, Sokka?</b>”</p><p>“<b>A photograph.</b> ” he responded, with a gulp. “ <b>Of dad</b>”</p><p>“<b>No shit, I can see that brother.</b> ” She said looking back at him, her lips pursed. It’s been years since any of them have seen their father. Presumably death after the war. But the man in the picture wasn’t young. No, it wasn’t an old photograph. It was recent, very recent. “ <b>I mean, what </b> <b> <em>is</em> </b> <b> it?</b>”</p><p>“<b>We know where he is.</b>”</p><p>“<b> <em>We?</em> </b> ” she asked, trying to remain calmed. But even with her best intentions, Sokka could see the slight tremble in her hands, how she was fighting to contain the tears. Katara had already lost her mother before the war really erupted. Well, they both had; but Katara was there to see it happen. When their father enlisted, he knew she got the hardest blow. But when news came to the Southern Tribe, saying that their warriors had been captured and imprisoned. . . Knowing what the Fire Nation Canchellor did to those who tried to oppose him, they both knew they were never going to see their father again. </p><p>“<b>Yeah, we.</b>” he simply answered.</p><p>“<b>Tell me everything.</b>” </p><p> </p><p>And as she asked, Sokka filled the girl with any information he had about the mysterious photograph. He, of course, left aside a lot of details about why he was really there, why he really needed her. He just needed to tell her enough so she accepted to go to the Southern Tribe with him. Taking into account how the girls despised to be in Fire Nation territory, and even more, the former capital of the enemy; she didn’t last long before she agreed.</p><p> </p><p>She knew there were things he wasn’t telling him. They’ve grown up together and, even if he was professionally trained to lie and hide secrets, she knew every nervous tick of the man, even the milder ones.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>It had been two hours since the man had chosen a spot and waited. Waited for his mark to show and get his work done so he could go back home. Wherever that was supposed to be.</p><p>He despised Caldera City, even if it was once borned there. He hated its streets, what it represented. As the war wore off, better times were supposed to come. But it was all lies. <em> Politics </em>. He hated all that.</p><p>Even if the Fire Nation was responsible for the atrocities committed, even if its urge for power was the one that nearly destroyed the world. . . Not all its citizens were to blame. And there they were, in a city that once was full of life and progress, nearly dead and filled with hunger. The partition was supposed to make a change, but somehow it ended doing exactly the opposite.</p><p>His mind flew back to the stories his mom once told him about the city, and compared it to the present, wondering if one day he could really see all that by himself.</p><p>Lost in thought, he took a glance at the photograph placed over the folder in the car seat beside his, and his mission ahead.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He waited impatient in the crowded and obscure room. The silence of the chamber only being disturbed by the light roar from the screen projector.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> After a few trials, a picture of a dark skinned man showed up on the white wall, and his superior stood talking. </em>
</p><p><em> “ </em> <b> <em>His name is Sokka. He is not the typical Water spy. Despite not having any military training, he is a high skilled fighter and is known for being skilled in several arts of bodycombat. After Zhao's defeat, he is known to have joined a group of rebels from the Southern Tribe, which had stolen and collected multiple information that could weaken other nations and their alliances. </em> </b></p><p><b> <em>He purposely blackmailed all four nations and made a huge profit of it, allegedly to save the South from the devastations of the war. He was a huge protagonist of journals’ headlines and every security force all over the globe had the goal to capture him. But even when they did, he got </em> </b> <b> <em>lucky</em> </b> <b> <em>.</em> </b></p><p><b> <em>His achievements caught the attention of the recently formed W.T.I.A.</em> </b> (*) <b> <em> who recognized his skills would be a waste in jail, and offered him a position. </em> </b></p><p>
  <b> <em>They arrange and deal, and he has been since that moment the most successful and prolific agent from the agency.</em> </b>
</p><p><b> <em>Kill him if necessary, Zuko. But most importantly, he can’t help the </em> </b> <b> <em>girl</em> </b> <b> <em> escape.</em> </b> <em> ” </em></p><p> </p><p>He was getting impatient, the flashbacks of the meeting roaming in the back of his head. After a few minutes playing with the pocket knife he always carried, a set of lights in the main street caught his eyes. A car.</p><p>For a second, he doubts before pulling the engine to work; and maybe it was this doubt which saved his life in that instance, he thought as he saw the man —his mark— walked out the car, gun in hand, and into the alley he was waiting for.</p><p>He sank into the seat and didn’t dare to move a muscle until he heard the enemy car’s engine roar again.</p><p>Rapidly, he jumped out his vehicle and ran to the street just in time to see the other car withdrawing.</p><p> </p><p>The mission had just begun.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>(*) <em>W.T.I.A. </em><em>stands for 'Water Tribes Intelligence Agency</em><em>'.</em></p>
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